Brick-machine.



Patented June 23, 1914.

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BRICK MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO. 30, 1913.

Patented June 23, 1914 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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DANIEL REAGAN, 03F-COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASBIGNOB TO HOCKING VALLEY PRODUCTS CCMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO,

A C-OBPGRATION 0F 'WEST VIRGINIA.

BRICK-MACHINE.

Specication o! Letters Patent.

Patented June 23, 1914.

Application filed December 30, 1913. Serial No. 809,472.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, DANIEL E. REAGAN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Columbus, in the county of Franklin and Sit-ate of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brick- Machincs, of which the following is specification.

T he invention relates to improvements in brick machines of that class which employ the stiff-mud method by which a clayribbon is produced that is cut into brick sizes ready for the kiln.

The invention has for its object the provision of means for so treating the sldes and face, particularly the latter, of the ribbon as to produce an ornamental brick characterized by a rug effect or finish, articularly upon the face ofthe brick. he term rug is used to describe the ornamentation, for the finished brick simulates to a considerable extent the appearance of a rug made of textile fabric.

In the method employed in the production of the rug brick, first it is necessary to plow the face of the clay-ribbon with comparatively deep furrows. This plowing throws up from the face of the ribbon rows or ridges of clay in strips or particles that are more or less detached from the body of the ribbon. After the plowing the face of the ribbon is harrowed so as to spread about and distribute the strips and particles of clay in a confused or tangled layer evenly over the face of the ribbon; the harrowing also disrupts and smooths down the edges and ridges of the furrows. After the harrowing the face of the ribbon is subjected to pressure to compress and mat together the tangled strips and particles of clay so that they will adhere firmly to the body of the ribbon, and this application of pressure will give to the face of the ribbon the completed flat rugous e'ct that is desired. The harrowing` and application of pressure almost entirely eliminate the .furrows.

Previous to the present invention ornamental bricks have been roduced 1n stiiclay machinesv by providing Ameans for eitherv indenting or shallowl scoring the face of the clay-ribbon as it eavesthe die but without further treatment. Thi'sweul spective views give a more or less roughened effect to the brick, but would not give the deep rugous effect that is sought that gives the rug brick its name.

The present invention has for its object the provision of mechanism `that can be mounted on the ordinary stiff-mud machine and will o crate, first, to plow the face of the clay-rlbbon into comparatively deep furrows to throw up ridges with-nstrips and particles of material more or less loosened or detached from the body of the ribbon; second, to harrow and break up the furrowed surface so as to distribute the loosened or detached particles and strips in an even tangled layer over the body of the ribbon; and third, to compress the tangled layer of strips and particles to mat them together and to unite them with the body of the ribbon and to even the surface of the mass,`so as to give the deep rugous effect desired.

The invention consists in a machine of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of' parts herein described whereby the foregoing object is accomplished.

In the drawings, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing longitudinal corner sections, considerably enlarged, of the clay-ribbon at different stages of the operation. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the plate for holding the main furrowing pins, one of the pins being shown in place. Fig. 4 shows a side and end view of one of the side pin-plates. Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are pershowing several detail parts of the mechanism. Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 3. Fig. 9 is a detail view showing one of the pins for forming a marginal furrow, together with its holding means. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a completed brick.

The ornamenting mechanism for producin the ru ous e'ect is used with the Ima'- chine of t e ordinary stiff-mud type. In Fig. 1 of the drawings is shown the head 1 of such a 'machine `provided `with the dieplate 2'thron'gh which the cla 1s expressed m the form of a`ribbo'n or ar having `a arms 6 in the front ends of @here is considerable breadth and thickness respectively equal to thelength and width of the unbaked brick. Thisclay-ribbon or bar passes to a suitable cuttin lmechanism (not shown) that divides 1t transversely into brick sizes. The ornamenting mechanism is so mounted as to operate on the clay-ribbon as the latter passes from the die-plate to the cutting mechanism.

.Direct-ly in front of the mouth of the die-plate 2 are the two marginal plowing pins 3, one on each side. Each pin is clamped between the plates 4 (Fig. 9) adjustably secured to the bracket 5 attached to the head 1 just above the die-plate. Each of these pins 3 plows in the upper face of the clay-ribbon the marginal furrow a (Fig. 10) extending parallel with the longitudinal corner of the ribbon. By adjusting the pin between the clamping plates 4 the depth of the marginal furrow and its distance from the longitudinal corner of the ribbon can be regulated. In the production of some bricks-it may-be desired to leave a comparatively wide ,blank marginal space, as at b, at the edge of the rugous effect. This can be done by adjusting the pin inwardly between the clamping plates 4. As the pin 3 plows the ribbon adjacent to the edges of its face, there is some liability of the corner of the ribbon being torn away. To guard against this the marginal pin is located immediately in front of the mouth of the die-plate 2 where the clay is held against displacement by the corner of the die-plate.

On the top of the head 1 are secured the which is journaled the shaft 7, which can be held against rot-ation by set-screwspassing through the bearings and impin 'ng on the shaft. Jour- `naled on the shaft is the hanger 8, which also can be held against turning by a .setscrew passing through its bearing and impinging on the shaft. To the outer end of the hanger is bolted the plate 9, which in its normal working position extends over and parallel with the upper face of the clayribbon. The arms 6, the shaft 7 and the hanger 8 form a hinge connection for the plate 9, and by manipulating the several setscrews the plate can be either turned back from the clay-ribbon, or rigidly secured in its horizontal working position.

In the plate 9 a series of plowing pins 10 are mounted so as to furrow the clay-ribbon as the latter passes beneath the plate. These plowing pins are quite numerous, but are so distributed as not to track one another as they score the clay, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. These pins are distributed over an extensive area sg that generally l s ace between any two of them. The object of this is to prevent the pins from tearing loose large particles of c ay, which would happen were `material in this way there they grouped close together. For an instance, suppose all the pins extended across the path of the ribbon in a single line like the teeth of a comb. The result would be that they would scrape of a layer of clay from the face of the ribbon to the depth which they entered the material. As it is, thel pins are so separated that the dist-urbance in the clay being made by a particular pin will be localized adjacent to that pin, and will not extend to the disturbance being created by the next pin. Consequently there can be no cumulative eiiect of several merging disturbances which would tend to displace large portions of the clay.

Each pin 10 is adjustable in the plate 9 so that the depth of the furrow which it will plow can be regulated. It is seated in a threaded sleeve 11 (Fig. 8) turned into the plate and is held in the sleeve by the set-screw 12. By turning the sleeve more or less in the plate the penetration of the pin into the ribbon can be ulating the set-screw l2 the pin can be ad justed in the sleeve 1.1, or it can be removed for sharpening or replacing.

The furrows a, 0 (Fig. 2) plowed in the upper face of the clay-ribbon by the pins 3, 10 are comparatively deep, that is, they are considerably more than mere scratches or indentations of the material. By plowing the are thrown up from the yface of the ribbon rows or ridges of clay in strips or particles that are more or less detached from the body of the ribbon.

After the plowing of the material 'by the pins 3, 10, means are provided for harrowing the furrowed face of the ribbon so asl to distribute the strips and particles of clay in altangled layer over the face of the ribbon. Back of the, plate 9 is the yoke 13 (Fig. 5) straddling the path of travel of the clayribbon; it is bolted on the table 14 that supregulated. By manip-4 vports the ribbon. To the opposite sides of this yoke are hinged the arms 15 connected intermediate of their ends by the crosspieces 16. Extending across the free ends of the arms 15 is the wire rod 17. These arms 15, cross-pieces 16 and wire rod 17 constitute the harrow.

In operation the wire rod rests on the face of the clay-ribbon, and as the latter moves along the table 14 the wire rod breaks down the ridges of the furrows a, e in the material, and spreads the strips and particles of clay in an even tangle over the face of the ribbon, as at d (Fig. 2). Ordinarily the weight of the harrow 'ves the required ressure to the operation, ut should this e insulicient weights could be placed on the crosspieces 16. After the harrowing pressure is applied to the tangled layer of strips and particles of clay to press the same into firm cohesion with the body of the ribbon, and also to give a level surface to thebroken face of the ribbon. On the top of the yoke 13 is bolted the bracket 18 (Fig. 6) to which is pivoted the drop 19 (Fig. 7) in which is removably mounted an end of the arm 20 extending over and beyond the harrow. Between the members of the forked outer end of the arm is journaled the roller 21, the periphery of which is covered by the sheep pelt 22. This roller rides upon the harrowed surface of the clay-ribbon and compresses the tangled layer of strips and particles of clay against the body of the ribbon, and also gives a smooth finished efl'ect to the surfaces of the material. By means of the hinge connection between the arm 20 and the yoke 13 the roller can accommodate itself to any l irregularities there may be in the face of the ribbon, and it also may be raised from contact with the ribbon for cleaning and other purposes. The roller not only evens off the harrowed surface, but it presses the particles and strips of clay into the furrows to fill the same more or less.

By means of the foregoing operation an ornamental effect, such as at e (Fig. 2), is given to the face of' the ribbon, and consequently the finished brick (Fig. 10) that simulates to a considerable extent the rugous appearance of the textile rug. By varying the depth of the plowing, the pressure of the harrow and of the roller, the rugous effect can be varied more or less to meet different requirements. The sides of the clay-ribbon are also treated to give an ornamental effect. On the face of the head 1 of the machine, at each side of the die-plate 2, is bolted the bracket 23 carrying the plate 24. To the inner edge of this plate 1s secured the sideplate 25 (Fig. 4) flush with side edge of the mouth of the die-plate 2. In this side-plate 25 are mounted a series of pins 26, that score, as at f (Fig. 2), the side of the clayribbon as the latter passes from the dieplate. Beyond the side-plate 25 is the roller 27, also covered with sheep pelt, to compress and smooth over the scoring in the side of the clay-ribbon, as at g (Figs. 2, l0). The shaft 28 of the roller 27 s journaled in the U-shaped bracket 29 pivoted on the arm 30 secured to the table 14. The two rollers 27 (only one is shown) are pressed against the opposite side of the clay-ribbon by the Spring 31 connecting the upper ends of the shafts 28, which extend above the plate 9.

As the ornamentation-on the sides of the clay-ribbon, which form the ends of the completed brick, is not so pronounced as that on the face of the ribbon, consequently the scoring by the pin 26 is not so deep as the furrowing by the pins 3, 10, and it is not necessary to harrow the scored surface previous to the action of the roller 27.

By the employment of the foregoing mechanism in the manner described an ornamental brick is produced in which one of the faces is given the deep rugous effect of the textile fabric, and the two ends a somewhat similar effect, but not so pronounced.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a brick machine, a die for shaping the expressed material into a clay-ribbon, means for plowing the face of the clay-ribbon, and means for applying pressure to the furrowed face of the clay-ribbon.

2. In a brick machine, a die for shaping the expressed material into a clay-ribbon, means for plowing the face of the clay-ribbon, means for harrowing the furrowed face of the clay-ribbon, and means for applying pressure to the furrowed and harrowed face of the clay-ribbon.

3. In a brick machine, a die for shaping the expressed material into a clay-ribbon, a series of pins for plowing the face of the clay-ribbon, and a roller for applying pressure to the furrowed face of the clay-ribbon.

4. In a brick machine, a die for shaping the expressed material into a clay-ribbon, a series of pins for plowing the face of the clay-ribbon; a harrow for leveling the furrowed face of the clay-ribbon, and a roller for applying pressure to the harrowed face of the clay-ribbon.

5. In a brick machine, a die for shaping the expressed material into a clay-ribbon, means for plowing the face of the clay-ribbon comprising marginal pins placed immediately in front of and on opposite sides of the mouth of the die to plow marginal furrows in the face of the clay-ribbon adjacent to the edges of the ribbon and a series of pins mounted to the rear of the marginal pins to plow the face of the clay-ribbon between the marginal furrows in the same, and means for applying pressure to the furrowed face of t e clay-ribbon.

6. In a brick machine, a die for shaping the expressed material into a clay-ribbon, means for plowing the face of the clay-ribbon comprising marginal pins adjustably mounted in front of and 0n opposite sides of the mouth of the die to plow marginal furrows in the face of the clay-ribbon, said marginal pins being adjustable transversely across the path of travel of the clay-ribbon, and a series of pins mounted to the rear of the marginal pins to plow the face of the clay between the marginal furrows plowed by the marginal pins, and means for applying pressure to the furrowed face of the clayribbon.

7. In a brick machine, a die for shaping the expressed material into a clay-ribbon, means for plowing the face of the clay-ribbon comprising a supporting plate of considerable area and a series of furrowing pins mounted in said plate and distributed over the same so that one pin will not track another and so separated that the disturbance to the furrowed face of the clay-ribbon to pack the disturbed material against the main body of the ribbon.

8. In a brick machine, a die for shaping the expressed material into a clay-ribbon, means for plowin the face of the clay-ribbon, means for Iiarrowing the furrowed face of the clay-ribbon comprising a yield# ing support and a Wire. carried by said support transversely across the face of the ribbon to level the furrows and to distribute the loosened particles of clay over the face of the ribbon, and. means for applying pressure to pack the loosened particles of clayupon "the body of the ribbon.

9L In a brick machine, a die for shaping the expressed material into a clay-ribbon, a series of pins for plowing the face of the 'body of the ribbon.

11. In a brick machine, a die for shaping the expressed material into a clay-ribbon, a series of pins for scoring a side of the ribbon, and a spring-pressed roller for applying pressureto the scored side of the ribbon.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

DANIEL E.y REAGAN.

Witnesses:

E. B. FRANCIS, J. R. Ams. 

